MUSHROOM GRAVY PIE WITH GARLICKY KALE MASHED POTATOES

October 4th, 2017

pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!
I’m going to keep this as brief as I can today. My eyes have been bugging out a bit lately–just feeling really sensitive to light, watering/misting up easily, and they’re not focusing in a reliably consistent way. It feels like I need one of those giant visors and wraparound blue blocker sunglasses whenever I go outside lately hehe. I honestly think it’s just excessive screentime mixed with a bit of seasonal allergies. The summer-like temperatures just keep going here, which means plenty of pollen and dust riding through the air and into our open windows. Not gonna complain though :) #ForeverSummer

A little while ago, I casually asked my Instagram followers what their favourite part of the Thanksgiving meal was. I got the overwhelming impression that we all just love to smother carbs in gravy. Mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, a huge variety of stuffings, and plant-based gravy by the ladleful were the big winners. I’m a huge fan of these things as well. I live for thoughtful, 100% plant-based versions of classic side dishes at holiday meals. Those weird seitan/tofu holiday roasts always seem kinda goofy to me. Maybe because I just really love sides and vegetables in general? My bud Sophie told me about a pastry-encased vegetable “gravy pie” that her mother makes for Thanksgiving, and I kind of clung to the idea of OMG GRAVY PIE for weeks afterward.

When I imagined my own version of gravy pie, I thought about reversing the classic gravy and potatoes configuration–like a shepherd’s pie in a way, but a little more saucy. So basically we make a big pot of mushroom gravy with hearty herbs, garlic, onions, some flavour bombs, and cooked French lentils for protein. We thicken it up, pour it into a baking dish, and give it a cute topper of garlicky kale mashed potatoes. The potatoes get a little bit golden and despite the kale addition, the whole thing is comfortingly/reassuringly beige throughout. Basically perfect holiday food.

Wishing my Canadians a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving this week. Hope you all get some great food and calm times with your favourite people. Also, if you’re that person hauling the giant, beautiful bowl of salad to the family dinners because you know that you won’t get your vegetable fix otherwise, please know that I’m with you in spirit and in practice. It’s hard to strike that balance of slight self interest, thoughtfulness, but also not overbearing in your plant-loving ways when it comes to family, am I right? I just do a big, shredded salad (kale, brussels sprouts, root veg) with roasted delicata squash, some maple-candied pumpkin seeds and a bomb tahini dressing. It feels nutritionally complete for me personally and you get to help out by filling the token salad component hehe. Love you all. Sending my holiday hugs. xo

pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!MUSHROOM GRAVY PIE WITH GARLICKY KALE MASHED POTATOESPrint the recipe here!SERVES: 6-8NOTES: To make this soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of the tamari soy sauce. -If you’re feeling it and your dish is deep enough, this pie can handle double the amount of potatoes ;)-You could use brown lentils in place of the French ones here. Alternatively, if you don’t have lentils on hand, you could use 1 ½ cups of whatever cooked pulse you like. White beans would be so good!-Corn starch substitutes perfectly for the arrowroot powder as our thickener here.-Use whatever mushrooms you like. I went for a mix of cremini, shiitake & portobello.-If you’re using mixed dried herbs, go with half the amount specified (1 tablespoon).
-If you don’t have a glass baking dish, metal or corningware is also fine! As long as it’s oven-safe and at least 2 inches deep.2 cups chopped and packed kale (about 6-7 stems-worth)½ cup dry French lentils, rinsed1 ⅓ lbs (585 grams) yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped3 garlic cloves, peeled and divided3 tablespoons olive oil, divided4 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk, dividedsea salt and ground black pepper, to taste1 small cooking onion, small dice2 tablespoons minced, fresh hearty herbs (I used a mix of sage, thyme & rosemary)2 ¼ lbs (1020 grams) mixed mushrooms, chopped2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari soy sauce1 teaspoon tomato paste1 cup vegetable stock1 tablespoon arrowroot powderBring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Drop the kale into the water and simmer until kale is just-wilted and bright green, about 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, retrieve the kale and place it in a small bowl. Run some cold water over it before squeezing all of the excess moisture out. Set aside.Drop the lentils into the saucepan of boiling water. Cook until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.Lightly wipe out the saucepan. Add the diced potatoes and one of the peeled garlic cloves to the saucepan. Cover the potatoes with cold water and place the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring the potatoes to a boil and then simmer until very tender, about 18-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes.In a large bowl, combine the drained potatoes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the non-dairy milk, and plenty of salt & pepper. Mash the potatoes with a masher until the potatoes have a mostly smooth texture and all ingredients are evenly mixed. Roughly chop the cooked kale and fold it into the potatoes. Set aside.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 glass baking dish with olive oil and set it on a baking sheet.Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions to the pot and saute until slightly soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Mince the remaining garlic cloves and add them to the pot along with the herbs. Stir until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot and let it sit for 2 minutes.After two minutes, remove the lid and season the mushrooms with pepper. Stir. Place the lid on and let the pot sit for another two minutes.The mushrooms should have reduced in volume by at least a third at this point. Add the cooked lentils to the pot. Stir the mushroom and lentil mixture and then add the balsamic vinegar, tamari, and tomato paste to the pot. Stir and scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Season the mushrooms liberally with salt at this point.Add the vegetable stock to the pot and stir. Bring the mushrooms to a boil. In a small bowl, stir together the arrowroot powder and remaining 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk to combine. Add the arrowroot slurry to the pot and stir. Let the mushrooms simmer until the surrounding liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.Pour the mushrooms and gravy into the prepared glass baking dish. Dollop the mashed potatoes on top, and then gently spread them over the entire surface of the mushrooms with a spatula or the back of a spoon.Drizzle the pie with olive oil and sprinkle with some black pepper. Carefully transfer the pie to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove the mushroom gravy pie from the oven and let it sit for a minute or two before serving.

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Lol “reassuringly beige”. But yes, yes, beige foods are often the most comforting and cozy. Weirdly though, Thanksgiving is my least favorite of the holidays because I don’t really like the food… I don’t particularly like gravy because it is soupy and I firmly believe that if something is soupy, it should be soup. But as I was gazing at these photos, my mouth was kind of watering a bit? Idk, maybe because of the mashed potatoes? What is happening to me?!! Maybe I haven’t given gravy a proper chance ;)ReplyCancel

Nicola04/10/2017 - 6:11 pm

At what point do you add the cooked lentils to the gravy mixture?ReplyCancel

I cannot even say how much I’m drooling over these photos! Al hail to the comfort beije/brown fall and winter dishes <3
I have a question though: It is very hard for me to find kale anywhere near where I live, do you have any suggestions for other green veggies I could use instead? I was thinking of spinach but I'm afraid it would release too much liquid…
Thanks :)ReplyCancel

Susan Wright06/10/2017 - 5:52 pm

it looks so good, I have got to try to make this, Thank youReplyCancel

Renée06/10/2017 - 6:13 pm

I’m a fan of your Garden Keeper’s Pie so this is like a Thanksgiving version that I need to try, absolutely. Beautiful photography, Laura.ReplyCancel

Laura07/10/2017 - 2:26 pm

Hi, would you be willing to share a recipe for the shredded root salad you described in this post? It sounded so good.
Thanks for all the great recipes. You are very talented.

This looks sinfully good!! I would definitely want to double the potatoes! YUM!!! Last year I made a mashed potato with a hint of horseradish in it and that was a big hit. Do you think it would pair well with the flavors in the gravy here? I made the potatoes last winter to accompany a roast that I didn’t actually eat, but I think the gravy from the roast included similar spices.ReplyCancel

Made it this evening and it was absolutely delicious! I made some changes: I added almost half a medium cauliflower to the potatoes mash and also added a little Worcestershire-sauce to the gravy, and used two teaspoons tomato-paste. Instead of lentils, I used a pot of white beans. Also instead of vegetable broth I used mushroom-broth. Very delicious! Will surely make it again. Thanks for the lovely recipe!ReplyCancel

[…] make your own dashi stock and ramen here. As usual, get cosy and creamy with one of Laura’s mushrooms and gravy pies or these creamy french lentils with mushrooms and kale. After something fresh? Make some vegan […]ReplyCancel

Kourtney09/10/2017 - 4:27 pm

I made this at my parent’s Harvest dinner and it was thoroughly enjoyed! My grandmother took extras home :)ReplyCancel

Louise10/10/2017 - 12:14 am

Made this tonight. A big hit with the whole family! Thank you!ReplyCancel

Your mushroom gravy pie is absolutely delicious. I have shared it with my vegan friends. Kept it in my book of favorites recipes. Looking forward to trying your butternut minestrone soup. MonickReplyCancel

Millie17/10/2017 - 5:26 am

I prepared this delicious dish last night. It was extremely tasty. My husband and I enjoyed the flavors and comfort of this dish. It’s a keeper. I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you!ReplyCancel

Gaby17/10/2017 - 1:56 pm

I’ve always been told not to put potatoes in a food processor because of how gluey/starchy they get— is the goal to have a denser potato crust?ReplyCancel

Thanks for that recipe. I am a new vegan due to medical reasons, and a lot of the vegan recipes I see on line make me think, OMG, who in the world would find that edible?

But I’ve been trying to find tasty ways to incorporate more kale into our diet, and this dish looks absolutely marvelous. Do you think it might work putting some finely chopped cooked kale into the gravy/mushroom mixture?ReplyCancel

Hi Renee,
You could definitely fold some chopped kale into the filling right before you put it into the dish for baking. I’d say you could fit up to 2 packed cups of chopped kale? Let me know what it’s like.
-LReplyCancel

What a comforting and hearty dish! I would totally dig into the entire serving tray in a heartbeat! LOL! I think sweet potatoes would work on top as well–makes the perfect creaminess and sneaks in some vitamin A too!ReplyCancel

Miranda25/10/2017 - 5:35 pm

This is perfect fall comfort food. Yum! And I can totally relate to being the person that volunteers to bring salad so there’s something green to eat, that’s so me!ReplyCancel

Amanda25/10/2017 - 10:30 pm

This looks delicious. Have you ever tried to make it ahead and freeze it? Curious if it would turn out ok.

So I put leftovers of this into little ramekins, wrapped them tight, and sent a few over to my mother, and she froze them. After a thaw in the fridge and a re-bake in the oven to get them, bubbling, they were great!
-LReplyCancel

Caroline Atwood28/10/2017 - 2:11 pm

OMG yum! I made this two days ago, and since its just me,I have been eating it since then. My potatoes turned out a little starchy/gluey, maybe due to the type I used (I used my mom’s garden potatoes) or because I used a blender instead of a food processor. Either way, it still turned out awesome. I think I might make just the mushroom gravy part sometime to pour over brown rice or other grain. I also decided to spread it on sourdough and top with avocado for breakfast one morning and it was prime!

I made this recipe exactly as instructed and it was pretty good. I should have added more salt to the potatoes – next time I’ll taste as I go.

I also made GARLICKY WINTER VEGETABLE & WHITE BEAN MASH WITH MUSHROOM MISO GRAVY from the cookbook. I LOVED this recipe even more than the gravy pie. Buy the book. It’s incredible!ReplyCancel

Erin08/11/2017 - 2:28 pm

I made this over the weekend and it was just wonderful–everything I want out of a weekend comfort meal (delicious, not so heavy, full of protein).. I used dried herbs with no issues, and I had some dried shiitake mushrooms I simmered and later included with the other mushrooms. Wonderful all around, thank you!ReplyCancel

This looks so amazing!! I’m thinking that I may have to try this recipe after our Thanksgiving feast. I always make too many mashed potatoes …seems to be a thing I do every year. But really, now I’m hoping to have a bunch left over. If not, it’s okay. I’m making this anyway. Perfect winter warm-up dish!ReplyCancel

Laura24/11/2017 - 5:41 pm

I made this for thanksgiving and it was good but could benefit from salting early and salting often. Salting at every stage instead of just when the mushrooms are cookingReplyCancel

Thank you soooooo much! I’ve made this twice. The second time there were potato quantity adjustments with a houseful of Peruvians and Irish… I had to at least double the potato! I know I’m going to make this all winter long. And, yours is the first cookbook I’ve ever bought!ReplyCancel

[…] Potato Pie I’ve been making pies of all forms! Recently, I found this amazing recipe for Mushroom Gravy Pie with Mashed Potato by The First Mess – it most certainly satisfied the pie craving! Although a good pastry […]ReplyCancel

Liesl22/12/2017 - 6:13 am

I feel like it just won’t be as good unless it’s served in this beautiful baking dish! Would you share its source?ReplyCancel

This recipe is so tasty! I love the flavor. As a couple folks mentioned, though, mashing potatoes in the food processor results in a sticky, gluey mess. You don’t want to overwork the potatoes. Manually mashing is definitely the way to go. And I have better luck with russets, for whatever reason, to get a fluffier end result.ReplyCancel

Michelle15/01/2018 - 7:52 pm

I made this tonight…..YUM!!! I subbed a can of small white beans for the lentils used instant mashed potatoes and chopped up some spinach instead of kale and just stirred into hot potatoes. I will absolutely be making this again! Maybe next time will try cauliflower mash instead of potatoes for a no carb option!ReplyCancel

Diana Aspin31/01/2018 - 3:35 pm

I am so loving your cookbook, Laura. A friend gave it to me after my husband had quintuple bypass surgery and we commuted to eating a plant-based diet. I.was crying myself to sleep wondering how on earth to get into him the calories needed to regain his lost weight on.vegetables and little fat. The book has turned our lives around we are still.exhausted and shocked after 3 weeks BUT we are loving our foI’d. Your food. Thank you from the bottom of my heart – and my husbands new one. DianaReplyCancel

Thank you so much for sharing this with me, Diana. I’m deeply moved and also just so happy that you and your husband are finding some enjoyment during this time of transition. All my best to you both going forward :)
Warmly,
LauraReplyCancel

Jill09/02/2018 - 6:21 pm

What leafy green can I sub for kale? My partner refuses to eat kale – I am suspicious that his refusal stems from some sort of subconscious protest to being forced into a vegan diet 6 days a week.

So kale sub? As the comment above posts, will spinach be too mushy? Escarole maybe or swiss chard?

H! I absolutely have to drop a comment here to let you know that I made this dreamy spin on a shepard’s pie and it was beyond delicious! My family loved it. The pie is so cozy but not so heavy that it weighs you down. I made the recipe exactly as listed but I’d say it feeds more like 6…and people WILL want seconds! Thanks for a great recipe!ReplyCancel

Lily19/03/2018 - 2:49 am

Well this was DELICIOUS. I didn’t need to add any water for the stock as so much water came from the mushrooms so I just added a stock pot to the dish.
Also I’d recommend using more potatoes as mine went far too creamy and soft and disappeared into the dish when I served up.ReplyCancel

Julie21/03/2018 - 8:09 am

this is a great comforting meal…but the second day it was fabulous for lunch. Gave the opportunity for everything to meld together and it was perfect!ReplyCancel

Thank you so much for making this easily printable without all the pics, and including your website in it.. I’m going to make this tomorrow, and it was great to not have ink and paper wasted with the usual pics etc. :) MUCH appreciated.ReplyCancel

Hi Sophia,
Cooked white beans or chickpeas would also be great. You could also use small dices of whatever vegetables you like if you aren’t into beans/legumes. Crumbled tempeh is another great option.
-LReplyCancel

Rhiannon06/10/2018 - 10:39 pm

Hi! Found your site and made this recipe tonight. YUMMY!! I loved how you listed alternatives that is so helpful thank you! I’m trying very hard to convert my family to plant based eating. This is proving difficult with my meat eating husband who grew up on a beef cattle farm. After dinner I told him wow that tasted like beef. His reply of course it did it was beef gravy. I said no I made it. He said well yes with a beef bullion cube. I said nope from scratch. He couldn’t believe it! Amazing recipe if you were able to fool him into thinking it was beef based!! Looking at your other recipes they are perfect for my transition for him. Showing plant based eating isn’t all about eating salads! Thank you!ReplyCancel

Kelly28/10/2018 - 7:41 pm

Omg finally made this tonight and it was amazing!! I added the kale to the mushroom mixture instead, and I also added some diced multi-colored carrots as well. I followed your advice and doubled up on the potatoes and put it all in a deep dish round soufflé dish…So delicious!ReplyCancel